Don't Lose Hope
by Chaos Adame
Summary: Rated for swearing. Did this to break writer's block...R&R please (Summery: Jack is trying to raise money so he can get his sister out of the mental instituion. When a situation arises that leaves him without hope)


A/N: In hopes of breaking this darn writer's block I have for 'It's the Hard-knock Life' I wrote this...::le sigh:: hope it works. I considered an alternate ending but I don't like sad endings. They're just so.....sad

RACETRACK: Duh

You're supposed to appear only at end!!

JACK: We're taking ovah!!

Disclaimer: I own only the nameless sister ::shrugs:: I didn't know what to name her!

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Those damn bastards. Damn them to hell. Had they any idea how long I've been working to raise all that money?! Year aftah year...all gone. I promised her I'd get her out of there....I'd take care of her. I've never broken any of my promises. Unless ya count me turning scab a couple of months ago during the strike. Very few people know I even have a sister. Just Race, Spot, and Mush. They've offered to help pay but I have my pride. Besides, times are hard enough and I'd rather tell her I raised the money myself. She'd be so proud and pleased, her dark brown eyes would shine with happiness. I could see her already as I walked down the street, enough money in my pocket to get her out. It wasn't that she was crazy. She was at first, seeing things that weren't there and then trying to off herself. I visited her every day and when my father entered her there. She's fine now, even the doctor's say so. But they don't want her let her go yet 'wait for the unexpected' they told me. They thought she might try it again, but I know her better than they do. I can tell when she lies, when she tells the truth and she wasn't lying.

"I was just trying to get rid of a part of myself I didn't like," she told me. Most people in the instituiton didn't have family or their family didn't visit. I was always visiting and my sister had been able to get a bed by the window. Sometimes I think she should've had a bed more inside. Was it torture for her watching the outside? Where she couldn't be? "It worked. Jack, I'm not going to do it again! Please believe me!" She turned to me then, away from the bright sunny window and into the glommy interior. "Take me out Jack please. You don't know what it's like here!"

"I will don't worry. Why don't you get some rest? I'll get ya out of here in no time," I said tucking her in.

"But-"

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of ya"

"Promise?"

"'Coise" I kissed her good-night and stayed for a couple of minutes, watching her sleep peacefully. That was two days ago. When I got back to the lodging house I went straight to bed. Ignoring Racetrack's calls for a poker game.

"I ain't in the mood"

"Ya sure?"

"Yeah"

"Well, if ya change yer mind give a call"

"Sure thing Race". I didn't fall asleep, just lay there thinking. I'd saved almost enough money to get her out. _-Just one more day of selling and she'd be with me. Just one more day.-_

The next day I did my best selling and had more than enough. Seperating the coins at a Tibby's table I grinned to myself.

"Poifect," I muttered to myslef

"What's poifect?" It was Mush

"Hey Mush, pull up a chair," he obeyed and pulled up a chair sitting across from me

"What's poifect?" he repeated

"Remember me sistah?"

"Yeah?" he asked doubtfully. On any other day it would've been a touchy subject, but today I was so happy I couldn't start smiling

"I'se have enough money ta git her out," I smirked. It took a moment to sink in before Mush's face broke into a huge grin.

"Dat's great Jack!"

"Don't I know it"

"I'se never seen her before"

"Ya will. Probably tonight". I remember feeling so happy but now in this stupid alley way I can't recapture that feeling or any other feeling except numbness and disbelief. I should've known better than to walk so carefree. As I walked two boys, no they couldn't have been much older than me, grabbed me from behind. One had a knife he held to my throat, the cold steel stung when his hand slipped slightly, pressing harder than he intended. The other grabbed the pouch full of _my_ bills and coins. My hard-earned honest money. They got what they were looking for but they stayed and beat the crap outa me. I dunno if they even knew who I was, or if it was their first jumping. Me, leader of the Manhatten Newsies, Jack Kelly. I stand, carefully testing my right leg. I wince when it gives way slightly. I am bruised but nothing is seriously injured. I walk dejectedly. Finally I arrive at the lodging house. It's almost midnight. I shouldn't have to come alone. I should've come with my sister, my younger sister. Mush stands grinning, he's been waiting to greet me, us. He's not alone, he's with Racetrack and Spot. Even Spot was smiling but when he sees me his smile vanishes and he understands. They all understand exactly what's happened.

"Who done it?" Spot asks quietly. I shrug

"Didn't see," I don't feel like talking, I just want to go to bed and hope to wake up from this horrible nightmare. I wish that attempted escape had gone right. When I had first visited, I had tried to get her out, but I'd been caught. They threatened to send her away, farther from New York, farther away from me, if I ever tried it again. They have the power. They'd agreed on me paying her way out. They needed the money for supplies and I needed her. Fair enough until those fuckin' bastards.....

"Brooklyn'll help find'em," Spot says fiddling his cane

"Hey yeah, we'se kin git da guys ta search for them too," Race adds

"We'll find them Jack," Mush pipes in.

"Go ahead it ain't gonna woik," I don't want to listen. Tomorrow's Sunday, no selling. Monday I'm starting ovah. I gotta rest if I'm selling again.

"You'se rest, we'll search. If we act fast enough we'll catch'em," Spot's taking over, sure of himself. Mush is talking but I don't listen, just trudge upstairs to flop on my bed. I stare at the ceiling, the boys know something's wrong, obviously, how often does their leader come home beaten up? They don't say anything, allowing me to wallow in my own self pity.

I awaken to see Race grinning down at me through a black eye and bloody lip. Spot and Mush are right behind him also bloody and triumphant.

"We'se found'em Jack, they'se dead now"

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RACETRACK: Did it woik?

......um.......

SPOT: ::shakes head:: nope

RACETRACK: It didn't woik?

JACK: ::confused:: I have a sister?

SPOT: One question at a time!

.................

SKITTERY: I think she's in shock

SPOT: How would you know?

SKITTERY: ::nods wisely:: Believe me, I _know_

.....uh........it.......it didn't work.......I still have.....::whispers:: writer's block.......

RACETRACK: Awww poor thing, she's in shock

SPOT: ::pats Chaos:: It's alright...........................who wants to go through her stuff?

NEWSIES: ::raise hands:: I do!!

JACK: How come no one told me I had a sister?!


End file.
